William Eldridge - Selected Electroacoustic Music

Yogurt Music (1999) (2:08)

Yogurt Music was improvised on a hand-held, light-controlled monophonic analog synthesizer the composer designed and built into an eight-ounce yogurt cup. The melodies are based on the subharmonic series (frequency times 1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4...), which is the inversion of the harmonic series (frequency times 1, 2, 3, 4...). Eight copies of the improvisation were subjected to differing types of digital signal processing and mixed into the final heterophonic composition.

Reedy Creek (2009) (9:51)

Reedy Creek was constructed entirely from original recordings of the sounds of the alto saxophone (key slaps, single notes, tremolos and a few brief passages). Techniques employed include granular synthesis, convolution and algorithmic composition using Csound Massage, the composer's own software for generating and manipulating Csound note statements. The work is named for a tributary of the James River and is dedicated to Sheri Oyan, the extraordinary saxophonist who recorded the source sounds.

Shatter (2001) (8:22)

Shatter is an extended exploration of the sonic possibilities within a single sound event: a 3-second recording of a clay pot shattering. The sound is fragmented, transformed with a variety of techniques and recombined into algorithmic textures created using Csound Massage, the composer's own algorithmic music software.

Happy Birthday, Arthur! (2020) (2:14)

Happy Birthday, Arthur! is a relatively straightforward tonal piece that begins with repetition and a beat. It was composed as a birthday tribute to photographer, musician and gardener/instrument-builder Arthur Stephens, creator of the Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra. Spoken words are fragmented, pitched and modified with signal processing while remaining intelligible. These vocal elements are then distributed in time and space using Csound Massage for rhythmic algorithmic composition.